


Light of Four Dawns

by somebodeh_once_told_meh



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cyberpunk, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, How Do I Tag, Keith and Shiro are Adoptive Siblings, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Rating May Change, Slow Burn, i guess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 05:52:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12358863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somebodeh_once_told_meh/pseuds/somebodeh_once_told_meh
Summary: Ever since Keith discovered the truth about his parents he'd been infiltrating the Galra Enterprises building, searching for the person responsible for their death and gathering information on illegal experiments being run there in secret. Things change when one night he bumps into a guy who seems to be doing the same thing and learns that his brother's job isn't exactly how he'd always imagined.





	Light of Four Dawns

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from Son Lux's song "No Crimes"

“Another night shift?” 

Shiro took his black bomber jacket from a nearby chair and shrugged it on, turning around to face Keith with an apologetic smile. 

“Yeah...” he sighed. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back, hopefully before breakfast.” He laughed dryly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Besides, you’re leaving in half an hour, too, aren't you?” 

Keith looked over to a clock hanging above their dining table. It’s not like he had to be anywhere but his ‘evening shift in the bar' that he, in fact, only had on Mondays and Fridays was supposed to start at 9. He still had some time to spare but he'd already made a decision to leave as soon as Shiro was out the door. 

“I am.” The ravenet sunk further into the couch with a pout, trying to sound nonchalant, deep inside already itching to get out of the house. 

Keith let his mind wander to the sounds of the city that never fell asleep, the wind always chasing after him as he ran. It was the only time of the day when he didn't have to put up a façade, when he could just be himself and it made him feel truly alive. Despite having a goal to achieve, despite all the pressure, he always made sure to take a moment and breathe in the fresh air. He really loved these nights. They felt special. 

He didn’t realise he was smiling until his brother pointed it out. 

“Wow, I’ve never seen you this happy about your night shifts.” Shiro laughed again, putting one hand on his hip as he observed Keith’s face growing more and more red with each passing moment. “Okay, I’m off to work. Hit me up if you need anything. See you later!” He threw his bag over his shoulder and opened the front door, waving his brother goodbye with a grin on his face. 

As soon as he disappeared from sight, Keith took a deep breath and slowly got up, heading towards his room to grab his backpack. He double-checked all pockets and, after making sure he got everything he needed, walked out of his room to put on his sneakers and a jacket. 

Passing by a mirror he stopped for a moment and stood in front of it to mess with his bangs, then turned towards the front door, opening it slightly at first to make sure Shiro was gone. He heaved a sigh of relief as he noticed the corridor was completely empty, finally making his way out of the apartment and closing it behind him. 

The temperature outside was surprisingly high for a November evening, yet the pleasant breeze that caused Keith’s hair to dance around his face, gently caressing his cheeks, balanced it out. He took a deep breath, smell of rain still in the air as he headed over to the parking lot where he left his bike and took out a black helmet from the compartment. 

“Alright. Let’s do this.” He mumbled to himself staring at the reflection in its visor as he sat down, straddling the vehicle. 

The boy didn’t waste any more time, bringing the engine to life and heading out of the apartment complex, slightly over the speed limit. His lips slowly lifted upward as he made his way down the city streets, catching glimpses of neon lights above his head every now and then, not really having to focus on the road, knowing the way by heart. 

Time didn't matter to him the moment Keith decided to choose the long way when both adrenaline and anxiety started bubbling in his chest. What he was doing was reckless and he was aware of that, but ever since Thace came up to him at work and told him everything about his parents' death, offering his help, he just couldn't back out. The truth hit him hard and, as much as it seemed unbelievable at first, the man somehow managed to convince him. 

Keith had already made up his mind. He _had_ to avenge them. 

Surprisingly, the hazy memory of his mother's smile that he never would've thought he'd remember popped up in his head, putting his mind at ease. He parked his bike in his usual spot near the bar and slowly got off with a heavy exhale. It might look suspicious if he left Red too close to Galra Enterprises' building, especially where Shiro could see her. This way his brother would simply think he's at work. He always did that. 

The walk through dark, narrow alleys didn't take him too long either. After a few minutes of sneaking, Keith found himself on the rooftop of the oh-so-familiar skyscraper, purple neon light from above his head illuminating both his face and surroundings. 

He slid the backpack off his shoulders and took out a small earpiece, putting it in his ear and immediately turning it on. 

"Thace? I'm here." He whispered into the microphone, making his way to the backdoor, his fingers hovering over the keypad on the wall next to it. "What's the password for today?" 

He waited for a few moments before he heard a response from the other end of the line. 

"GLR75Y8J3. You got that?" The voice said and Keith let out a quiet 'mhm' in confirmation as he sneaked inside. "We're having some trouble today, I think other intruders. Stay focused." 

"Roger that." The boy whispered, climbing down the stairs in a half-crouch. The line went silent after that. Thace never talked to much, only responding to give Keith directions or warn about potential threat. If a co-worker noticed him talking through an uncertified device, it might blow his cover. The guy pretended to be working for Galra ENT. as an office manager, in reality gathering information for an underground resistance group called Marmora. He told Keith he'd used to work together with his mother, before she and his father got captured. Sharing her DNA, Keith was the only person who could get access to the labs. 

But that wasn't the plan. Not yet. 

_Find the files,_ Keith thought to himself as he went inside one of the rooms. He spent the whole previous week scouring all the offices on the last two floors in search for information, to no success. He was hoping to find them as quickly as possible, so that they could move on with the plan. But as he searched through every pile of documents in sight, it seemed to be getting harder and harder with each passing moment. 

After making sure he wouldn't find anything in that room, he made his way back to his hiding spot, noticing loud noises coming from downstairs. A gunshot? Whoever that was, they sure as hell didn't even try to be discreet. 

Suddenly, through the vent of the door, he spotted a shadow moving towards him and he held his breath, watching as the person crept into the janitor's closet he was currently sitting in, clutching an SMG to their chest. The man closed the door with a quiet 'click' and slid down onto the floor with a sigh. 

Surrounded by almost complete darkness, they sat in silence for god knows how long, the stranger unaware of Keith's presence until his arm twitched, causing an unidentified object to fall on the floor from a nearby shelf with a soft 'thump'. He winced as the other's head shot up at that. 

"Who's there," he asked in a low voice, pointing the gun in Keith's direction. Acting quickly, he crept over to him and, before he could do anything, put one hand over the man's mouth, the other clutching the pocket knife he put to his throat. The stranger's grip on his SMG only tightened and Keith felt a light stab to his chest, looking down to find the muzzle sinking into his jacket where his sternum was. 

He looked back up and, as his own eyes adjusted to the dark, he examined the other's, seemingly almost black but sparkling deep blue in the dim corridor's lights. They were filled with both determination and confusion as their owner huffed into Keith's palm, startling him. 

He blinked, dumbfounded, and it took him a few seconds before he regained his composure. 

" _Who are you,_ " the ravenet hissed, feeling the stranger's body tense below him. "Do you work for the Galra?" He moved the hand from the mouth to grip him by the jaw so that he could speak. 

"What the hell? I asked you first," the man spat, pushing the gun deeper into Keith's ribcage. "Why should I tell you _anything_ when you might be—Wait, so you _don’t_ work for them?" He blinked in surprise, voice suddenly rising both in pitch and volume, eyes carefully searching Keith's face. With eyebrows raised and mouth slightly agape he appeared to be much youger than he'd first thought. 

"Oh my god, this is ridiculous." Keith sighed and withdrew his hands from the other's face to pinch the bridge of his nose, his chest heaving, freed from the stabbing pain of the muzzle as he pulled back. Okay, with that obnoxious attitude the guy didn't seem like much of a threat. "Whatever, I don't. Do you?" 

"Obviously not." He scoffed and opened his mouth to add something only to be interrupted by a muffled voice coming from his ear piece. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've got company though." He spoke into the microphone, his voice dropping as he kept eye contact with Keith, a deep frown on his face. "Not sure. Is it clear now? Yes, I'm coming, Shiro." 

At that, Keith froze, startled. In the meantime, the stranger got up to his feet and stretched as much as he could in the cramped closet. He looked down at him with a scowl, adjusting the strap holding the gun. 

“Uh, okay, look. I don't know what your deal is, but I have to go, so...” He rubbed the back of his neck and turned to push the door open, making sure the coast was clear before he stormed out of the small room without sparing a glance at Keith, leaving him alone. He listened as the other's footsteps quieted down and furrowed his eyebrows, gathering the knife from where it fell on the floor and clutching it to his chest. 

He must've heard it wrong. There was no way in hell that the person the stranger was talking to could be his brother. Maybe they just shared the same name. Yeah, that must have been it. 

But how many Shiros could there be in this city? It just _didn't feel right._ He had to make sure. 

Keith grabbed his backpack and followed the guy out of the closet, catching a glimpse of his retreating form as he disappeared around the corner. He sprinted towards the end of the corridor and up the stairs, following the faint found of footsteps. He knew for sure the only place they could lead to was the rooftop. When finally there, he caught sight of the stranger making his way towards three other people discussing something over what looked like a floor plan, one of whom he recognized immediately. _Of course_ , he couldn't have been wrong. 

" _Takashi._ " He gritted through his teeth, clenching his fists. His brother looked up at him and the smile he previously had on his face faltered, dawned with realization. An awkward silence fell upon them as they sized each other up, not really sure what to say. Finally, the older man took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again, they were filled with determination that sent shivers down Keith's spine. 

"Keith." He straightened his back and took a step towards his younger brother. "Could you please explain, what in the world you're doing here?" 

"I could ask you the same." He crossed his arms over his chest and raised one eyebrow, jutting one hip out. "Executive assistant, huh?" 

"Yes, that's actually my job. Guys here can confirm." He mirrored Keith's stance and turned his head in the others' direction. All three of them nodded hesitantly, eyeing the siblings with confusion written all over their faces. "We just... work a bit differently. Now, the real question is, what are _you_ doing in _this building_? Why aren't you in the bar?" Shiro sounded genuinely worried. "Keith, it's dangerous in here, you shouldn't-" 

"I know! I know it's dangerous and I know what's happening in here!" He exclaimed, throwing one of his arms up in exasperation, the other pointing to the ground below him. "Did you know these guys are responsible for my parents' death?" The other stayed silent, looking down at his feet. Keith's eyes widened and he covered his mouth with his hand, thunderstruck. "You— you did. You _knew_ and you never told me?! Shiro, what other secrets are you hiding from me?" He felt his voice rising in anger. 

"Keith, let's not talk about this here, please." Shiro sighed. "It's... It's a long story. Why don't you go back to the office with us? We can discuss everything there." 

The younger man took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. The other four were all looking at him expectantly and he sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

"Fine. But no more secrets." 

"You got it." Keith made a surprised noise as he felt himself being wrapped in a hug and both of them visibly relaxed under the touch. They stayed like that for a moment until they heard a loud cough and decided to break apart. "Oh, right. Now that Lance is here, we should head back. You got everything, Pidge?" 

"Yep." The smallest of the three responded, popping the 'p' at the end. "Let's get going guys." They suggested, gathering all the papers they had scattered on the ground. 

No one questioned Keith's presence as they made their way over to Altea's office building. They all stayed relatively silent, only Lance and the other guy, Hunk, if he remembered correctly from what the others had called him, cracking jokes every now and then to lighten the mood. However, the weariness on their faces was apparent. It must've been a long night for them and Keith didn’t even understand what they had been doing there. He had so many questions that had yet to be answered. 

The noises of the bustling city died down as they entered the main lobby, the low hum of the AC becoming the only sound. Shiro nodded at a man with a ginger moustache sitting at the reception desk and headed towards the elevator as everyone followed. It was surprisingly big, surrounded by glass and, as it went up, Keith could see not only the vast space of the halls below him but also the view that stretched behind crystal windows. 

It came to a stop with a ding, robotic voice announcing ‘floor 12’ and everyone rushed out, down the hallway and into one of the conference rooms. 

A young, dark-skinned woman with a shock of long, silver hair greeted them as she stood by the table with arms crossed over her chest. She sized Keith up but didn't say anything, just watched as Shiro approached her, Pidge right behind with the papers they had been studying before. 

“Did you get it?” The woman asked as they scattered them on the table. 

“Yeah. It was close though, because _someone_ blew our cover.” They shot a pointed look towards Lance. 

“Oh come on!” he groaned, throwing his hands up in despair. “Can you not bring this up now?” 

“Lance, it's been the first time in _months_ since we had such an opportunity and you've almost ruined it with your recklessness.” 

“It doesn't matter now! We got the file, let’s just move on. Besides, I had everything under control. That guard wasn't too clever.” He scoffed as he flopped down on one of the chairs laying his SMG in front of him. The others followed, Keith sitting at the very edge of the table, unsure of what to do. 

Pidge just shrugged and turned to the woman, going back to their previous topic, not sparing a glance at the ravenet while they discussed the layout of one of the floors. 

He knew he should be listening, taking in all the possibly new information, but he just couldn’t focus. In the bright lights of the room he could finally take a better look at the people surrounding him. 

They worked with Shiro, after all, he should at least make some effort. 

That's what he told himself as he studied Lance's frowning profile. The guy had a nice, sharp nose and a bit pointy chin. His hair was just a few tones darker than his rich, cinnamon skin that seemed to be glowing despite how exhausted he looked. As Lance turned towards the two speaking, Keith noticed broad shoulders and a long neck. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Pidge staring at him with a blank face, expression unreadable, and he cast his eyes down, feeling the heat creeping up his neck. 

He pursed his lips and turned towards Hunk, who had taken a seat across from him, and as he looked up, he was met with a warm smile that made his hazel eyes sparkle. Keith relaxed a bit under his gaze and smiled back as he studied his broad frame and buff shoulders. He was surprised he didn't find Hunk intimidating at all, despite his posture he seemed to be a friendly guy. 

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see his brother staring back at him with an uncertain smile on his face. 

"Can we talk?" He asked quietly. "Allura wanted to meet you." 

Keith opened his mouth to ask who that was but snapped it shut as he followed Shiro's gaze and locked eyes with the silver-haired woman. She nodded at him to come closer and he slowly got up only to flop down on the chair closest to her. 

"So, Keith," she started as she put both her hands on the table. "Shiro told me you're his younger brother." 

He nodded hesitantly. 

"He also briefly described how we got into this situation. As far as we would like to trust you, I have a few questions I'd like you to answer. Is that okay with you?" Allura's voice was firm but reassuring. 

"Yes." It's not like he had much of a choice anyway. 

"Alright. Can you tell me what you were doing in the Galra offices earlier today?" 

"It's, uh... It's a long story." Keith scratched his arm anxiously. Was he supposed to spill everything out now? He wasn't a part of Marmora, sure, but it just didn't feel right. However, he had promised Shiro – no more secrets. Dammit. 

"We've got time." The woman jut her hip out as she crossed her arms over her chest, looking at him expectantly. He squirmed in his chair under her stern gaze and gulped. 

"I- I, uh..." 

"Keith?" Shiro bent down to him, concern written all over his face. "Whenever you're ready." He patted him in the shoulder reassuringly. Keith nodded and took a deep breath. 

“No more secrets.” He sighed, looking his brother in the eye. _This is it._ “So... About a month ago a man came up to me at work. He— he said he had information about my parents I might find useful so I agreed when he asked if I could take a break and talk to him. He then told me everything he knew about them, who they were, how they met, what really happened to them. 

“Apparently my mum used to work as a scientist in Galra ENT. They were testing some new illegal drugs, that’s how she met my dad. He was one of the test subjects. Long story short, they fell in love, she set him free and they ran away together only to be captured some time after she gave birth to me. It turned out they had been tortured by a woman named H. Aggar, I believe. She... She killed them both.” 

He paused for a moment and looked around, noticing that everyone’s eyes were focused on him. Everyone was listening. He bit his lower lip anxiously, not used to being a center of attention. 

“At first I didn’t believe him, it sounded too surreal. Who would've thought there were labs in that building?” He laughed dryly. “But he showed me pictures, apparently they had been working together, just in different departments. It was shocking, yeah, but I just... needed to know more. See for myself. There are people out there doing horrible things and I’m sure my parents weren’t the first victims and won't be the last... So I’ve decided to help. 

“The guy told me I could join him, so I agreed. It was just exchanging ideas at first but then we started planning everything out. Since he’s still working for them undercover he can’t just walk around the other departments, that would be suspicious. So that’s what I'm doing. I just sneak around, look for information, tell him whenever I find something.” 

He decided to keep Marmora out of it for now. 

“Hm, I see.” Allura scratched her chin in thought. “Do you know how to fight?” She asked after a moment of silence. 

“Allura, don—“ 

“Shush, Shiro. Don’t think I forgot when you told me you used to practice kendo with your little brother.” She cast him a side glance, then turned to face Keith again. “So?” 

“Um, you’re right, we did.” 

“Wonderful. So what do you say... work with us? You seem like a fast learner, we could really use some help.” 

“What? This guy?” Lance chimed in, pointing a thumb in Keith’s direction with a raised eyebrow. 

“And what exactly is your problem?” Keith snarled, crossing his arms and turning to him slightly. Where did that even come from? 

“You almost slit my fucking throat open! Do you do this often? Attack people you don’t even know the intentions of?” He turned to face the woman for a moment extending his arm in Keith's general direction. “Why would you think someone like him could be one of us? He's obviously a hothead!” He scoffed and whipped his head back, narrowing his eyes at the ravenet. “I may trust Shiro and Allura but I don’t trust _you._ ” 

"As if you're one to talk after what you pulled off today," Pidge mumbled. 

“Guys, enough.” Keith turned back at the sound of Shiro's irritated voice. He wasn't looking in their direction though, focused on Allura. She locked eyes with him and sighed. 

“I know what you’re thinking and I know that you’re worried. But remember he isn’t your little brother anymore. He already spent the last month spying in there, it wouldn’t change anything.” She put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. “So, Keith, are you willing to join us?” 

The pale-skinned boy worried his lower lip, deep in thought. 

Technically he wasn’t limited by Marmora, Thace never forced him into anything, maybe they could even continue working together. He could spend more time with Shiro, since they rarely saw each other lately. But there were these guys... He didn’t know anything about them and this Lance guy seemed to be causing problems already. 

However this was his chance. He could get it over with more quickly. Allura trusted him and he was willing to follow. 

“Okay, I'll do it,” he announced, getting up from the chair to stand in front of her. “I'll join you.” He heard Lance scoff behind him. 

“Excellent!” she clasped her hands, ignoring the dark-skinned boy's remark. “Shiro can let you in on everything. I’d like you to come for training tomorrow, I want to see what you’re capable of. Now, if you excuse us, Pidge and I would like to work some more on these plans. The rest of you – you’re dismissed for today.” With that, she gathered all the papers and nodded at Pidge to follow her. 

Soon after they left the room, Lance and Hunk got up, the former giving him a glare from where they stood by the door, the latter smiling reassuringly as he waved goodbye. 

“I can’t believe this.” He heard Lance mutter before they left. “Hunk, this guy's only gonna-“ the rest of the sentence died out behind the door. 

Keith exhaled heavily, weariness settling on his brow as he rubbed his eyes. 

“Let’s go home, Keith. It’s been a long day.” Shiro put an arm around his shoulder and nudged him slightly towards the exit. 

As they got inside the elevator Keith let out a quiet chuckle. 

“What’s so funny?” Shiro sounded amused. 

“I just... I can’t believe my brother is a secret agent.” He smiled thoughtfully, then raised an eyebrow. “What else are you hiding? Next you’re gonna tell me this hair of yours isn’t all natural.” 

“Obviously it isn’t.” He snorted. 

“It’s not? No way!” The younger boy gasped dramatically, one hand clutching his chest. 

"Keith, you help me dye it every time." Shiro raised an eyebrow at him with a smirk. "Honestly, your jokes are so bad." 

"Yeah, I know they are." Keith's eyes softened as he directed his gaze to the floor. 

They fell into comfortable silence right after as they got out of the building and headed towards Keith's bike. As they approached it, he turned towards his older brother and smiled. 

“I’ll see you at home then?” 

“Yeah. But please, be careful, Keith. The city can be dangerous at this hour.” 

“I know, I know. You too.” He put on his helmet and turned on the engine. “Also, Shiro. Can our talk wait till breakfast?” 

“You mean in four hours?” The other joked, looking down at his wristwatch, then back again into his brother's eyes and he smiled softly. “No problem. I can tell you’re just as tired as I am. Take care.” He patted his back and waited as Keith took off, disappearing being the corner. As soon as he was left alone on the now almost empty street, Shiro made his way back to his car. 

Keith sped up slightly above the limit and let the chill of the night surround him as he thought through all the things that happened today. 

As if he hadn’t been in a crazy enough situation already. Did he make the right choice? He wondered what Thace would say to that, if he’d be angry. 

Not that he cared, obviously. He was a freelancer, after all. Well, _had been._

But it couldn’t be that bad, working for Altea. He could always quit and go back to how it was up till now. 

Keith parked Red in her usual spot and made his way up the stairs to their apartment. He unlocked the door and threw his backpack on the floor next to the hanger. Shiro was still yet to arrive but he was too exhausted to wait so he opened the door to his room and flopped down on the bed, all clothes from the day scattered on the floor. 

His eyes grew heavy and before he drifted off to sleep he reminded himself to send Thace a report in the morning and find his kendo equipment. He buried his face in the pillow with a hum. 

It could all wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!   
> Whew, this is the first fic I've ever published on this website and the first fic _in English_ I've ever published so I'm quite self-conscious about it, especially since I wrote it like half a year ago and, encouraged by a friend, decided to post it now.   
>  I'm not exactly happy with it, I had to change a few things cause apparently my writing style was even worse these few months ago, ho boi  
> I'm currently working on a lot of things, mostly just long, _long_ one shots which I'm hoping to finish soon and when I do, I'll take care of this baby   
>  Comments and constructive criticism highly appreciated, since I know it's far from prefection and I'd like to improve as much as possible <3 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!


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